al-Atfal Huthe al-Ayyam - Kids These Days
by Mini Goat
Summary: THTJB Eli likes Jack, even if he is a bit gruff. Enough to pretend he didn't just see that.


**_AN:_**_ THTJB bringing some Universe folks in, or at least the ones I like._

**al-Atfal Huthe al-Ayyam - Kids These Days**

"Eli, didn't I tell you my telescope is off limits?" Jack asked the kid in exasperation.

"Sam said it needed calibrating."

"So you took it upon yourself to do so without asking me first huh?" Jack said frowning.

"It's just a telescope Jack."

"It's three months pay assuming I didn't eat Eli."

"Not like I can't fix it." The kid told him with a surly pout.

Jack felt old just talking to the kid. He was as young as Jenn was. Nick had a point. The kid belonged in the university not some uppity charter high school for gifted kids but sometimes the snarky replies he got in response made him grit his teeth and wonder if that's how he'd sounded at that age.

"I know you can fix it Eli, and if you had _asked_ me if I wanted it calibrated, I'd have come up with you."

"You were busy Jack."

"I wasn't…" Oh, he had not been technically busy. What he had been doing however wasn't something a teenage kid should be walking in on though. "Ok look, just next time ask, and if I'm indisposed, wait." Jack told him trying to change the subject from his love life.

Eli looked at his landlord who he's earlier walked in on making out with the same Sam who had yesterday, casually mentioned the telescope needing calibrating, which Eli assumed was probably how she knew in the first place. "So how are things going with that?" He asked with an amused grin.

"None of your business." Jack said defensively.

"Still won't sleep with you, huh?"

"Eli…" Jack said in a pained voice.

"Hey, It's cool. You don't have to explain it too me. I'm a teenager not a monk."

Jack swiped one large hand slowly over his face as he rolled his eyes. "Can we not talk about this? More importantly what is it going to cost me for you to never mention this conversation to anyone ever, especially Sam."

"No one would believe me anyway."

"What, no one thinks I can catch someone as hot as Carter? I'm not that bad looking, am I?"

"I have no idea, I'm not into guys. Ask Liz or Janet. But everyone thinks you and Daniel are an item."

Jack gave the kid a flabbergasted look. "What?"

"You heard me. They think you and Daniel are gay lovers."

"That's just…"

"You guys act like it." Eli told him with a shrug as he made a minute adjustment to the telescope.

Jack plopped down on the bench by the telescope. "How long has everyone thought that?"

"How should I know? I just moved in this semester and everyone but Jenn and Sam treats me like a little kid." He said sourly.

"Compared to me and Teal'c, you are all little kids including Carter." Jack said with a humorless laugh.

"You aren't that old yet Jack. Besides. I don't think Sam cares." He gave the older man a wicked grin.

"Ew. Don't talk about my sex life like that Eli."

Eli laughed dryly. "Tell you what, you talk to me like an adult and I won't blackmail you with having seen you sticking your tongue down Sam's throat and your hands in her pants in the maintenance room."

Jack canted his mouth thoughtfully. "I'll sweeten the pot on keeping that on the downlow. Text me when you want to use the telescope and as long as I'm not using it myself I'll let you use it unattended… as long as you keep it calibrated for me. But no using it to impress girls"

"Mr. O'Neill, you have yourself a deal." Eli stuck out a hand that Jack shook firmly. It's not like Eli was going to find a girl to date any time soon anyway in his opinion.

"So how are things going between you and Nick? I know he can be a little abrasive from time to time."

"He's all right. We don't always agree on stuff, but that's the case with almost every person I've ever met."

Jack chuckled. "I have the same problem you know."

"Nah, you're just a grumpy old bastard who has to put up with immature college kids all day."

"You aren't wrong."

The door banged open and sixty pounds of sandy blond hair hurled itself at Jack's lap. "Hi Uncle Jack!"

"Hey Cass! Does your mom know you are up here?"

She shook her head yes. "Aunt Sam told me where you were."

"She did, did she?"

"Yup. Uncle Jack, Aunt Sam looked like someone had been kissing her but she wouldn't tell me who. Do you know?"

Eli covered a snort of laughter.

"Cassie, that's not an appropriate question to ask adults." Jack admonished her.

"Why not?"

Jack goggled at her. "It just isn't."

"But why?"

"All right now you are just screwing with me." Jack told the little girl.

"Do you know who she was kissing Eli?"

Eli opened his mouth only to see the basilisk glare coming from his uncle's landlord. "I've been up here for half an hour Cassie. I'm sure I couldn't tell you."

Nice save kid. Not one lie in that utter bullshit you just fed the kid who can sniff out a lie like a pig can sniff out truffles.

"Grown ups are no fun." Cassie pouted. "Are you fixing uncle Jack's telescope Eli?"

"Just calibrating it Cassie, and I'm almost done. Jack takes good care of his telescope and it was only normal use that had it slightly out of alignment."

"That's because he and aunt Sam are always up here using it. That's why I thought you might know who she was kissing uncle Jack because you are one of her best friends."

"Oh I am, huh?"

"She talks about you all the time. Mom thinks I can't hear them because I'm in bed but the walls in our apartment are super thin so I hear all of it." Cassie grinned at Eli. "Aunt Sam has a HUGE crush on Jack, Eli."

"She does, huh?"

"Yup but mom told her that Jack already has a boyfriend and it wouldn't be very nice to try to get between them. I don't know what that means. Will you tell me?"

Jack coughed and turned a mottled shade of red.

"It means it's not nice to hit on someone who already has a boyfriend or girlfriend." Eli supplied and tried not to laugh at the expression on Jack's face.

"Oh. Yah I wouldn't like that if someone did that to me. It doesn't sound like a nice thing to do."

"Well it's a good thing Sam knows better then isn't it?" Eli said grinning.

"Yup. I'm going to go play now." Cassie told them and got up and went over to the flower garden to pretend she was a fairy.

Jack sat with his face in his hands, his elbows on his knees.

"Cheer up Jack. You obviously didn't want anyone knowing anyway. You have a perfect cover now."

"That's not exactly what I had in mind kid. Carter just wants a fling anyway."

"Oh I get it. You're waiting her out."

Jack gave him a sharp look. "Kind of." He admitted.

"Well, she's spending her time talking about you to her friends. That's usually a good sign. If she just wanted a fling for sure she wouldn't feel so conflicted."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Nick was right. You're smarter than you look."

Eli rolled his eyes. "Just because I look like a gamer geek doesn't mean I'm an idiot Jack."

"Never said you were. But you do kind of give off that 'harmless' vibe kid."

"Huh. I thought I gave off the 'can't get a date' vibe." Eli said sarcastically.

"No, that's Daniel." Jack said and both men laughed. "You know, that's probably why everyone thinks we are a couple. I hang out with the guy because he's my best friend and he struggles to connect with other people because he's usually smarter than everyone else."

"That doesn't bug you?"

"Nah. I don't care how smart people are unless they are dumb as brick and that's only because they are a danger to others." Just then Jack's walkie talkie squawked at him. "O'Neill."

"Jack, the water line in 302 just blew." Siler told him.

"Crap. Be right there. Do I need to call the plumber?"

"Let's shut it off and see where we are at first. I hate to hear George blow his top over something we could fix ourselves."

"Good point. Be there in a minute." Jack turned to Eli. "Thanks for the adjustment. Make sure of you go down Cassie comes with you."

"Sure thing Jack." Eli said affably to Jack's retreating back


End file.
